Patricia Davids - The Amish Midwife

She pulled her sweater close and hurried up the steps, but she stopped on the porch and glanced toward Joseph’s house before she went inside. She cocked her head in that direction, but she didn’t hear any crying. How was Leah tolerating her goat’s milk? The question had been at the forefront of Anne’s mind all day.

“At least he didn’t come running over. She must be doing alright.”

Anne shook her head. Now she was talking to herself. It was not a good sign. If she was going to sleep a wink tonight, she would have to see for herself that the baby was doing better.

Crossing the strip of brown grass that bordered her flower garden, Anne paused at the gate between her place and Joseph’s. Was there really a reason to go to his door? If he needed her, he would come and get her. He had already proven that. Anne bit the corner of her lip.

“Checking on them is the neighborly thing to do.” As Anne battled her indecision, she saw a light come on in his barn. He was with his goats. Where was Leah?

Anne took a deep breath. She would just ask about the baby and leave. Before she could go any farther, the light went off. She waited a few moments. He appeared at the barn door with her laundry basket in his hands. It seemed Leah would learn about goats from the cradle.

He caught sight of Anne and stopped. After a brief pause, he headed toward her.

“How did she do?” Anne asked when he was close enough.

He stopped at the fence and rested the basket on the top board. “She did fine. Slept most of the day. The rash is gone. Danki. ”

Anne peered in the basket. Leah lay with her eyes closed, but she was making tiny sucking motions with her lips and then smiling in her sleep. Anne’s heart turned over. She touched the baby’s soft hair. “She’s dreaming about her bottle.”

“You solved her problem. I’m grateful.”

Anne drew her hand back and clenched her fingers together. “I saw Dinah Plank this morning. She thinks she can find a nanny for you. She said she would give you a few names tomorrow after church.”

“I don’t need anyone. Leah sleeps while I work.”

“She won’t sleep this much for long. Then what?”

He scowled and lifted the basket off the fence. “Then she will be awake while I work. We’ll be fine until my sister returns. Do not concern yourself with us. Guten nacht ,” he said sharply and turned away.

Anne watched him walk off and wished she had another fresh tomato at hand. First he wanted her help and now he didn’t. He was the most irritating man she’d ever met.

Chapter Six

Anne drew several stern looks from Naomi Beiler during the three-hour-long church service on Sunday morning. She tried to concentrate on the hymns sung, on her prayers and on the preaching, but she couldn’t. Joseph wasn’t among the worshippers.

Where was he? What was wrong? Was Leah okay?

Anne glanced over again, covertly checking the rows of men seated on the backless benches across the aisle. Joseph’s size made him a hard man to miss. Although there were close to fifty men and boys all dressed in dark coats and pants with their heads bowed, she knew she could pick him out easily. He simply wasn’t there.

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